Peter McKay on Penske:
While there has been steady speculation that American business mogul and motor racing figure Roger Penske is contemplating entering a team in the V8 Supercars, the wily operator is not rushing to a decision.
And there will be no shock and awe if Penske elects to expand in a different direction – back to sports car racing – rather than join a playground Down Under.
Already a major long-term player in NASCAR and IndyCar, Penske told Australian journalist Mark Glendinning in Autosport that he has very clear ideas about the likely direction of any future expansion.
‘‘I think that if we did anything [new] at some point, we'd like to get into the sports car side,’’ Penske told Autosport.
Still, as recently as last month’s Geneva motor show he was canvassing the views of Australian journalists about possibilities in V8 Supercars, a series which “might be something we do at some point’’.
Penske, the owner of 327 retail automotive franchises representing 42 different brands in the US, Europe and the Caribbean, indicated he was concerned about the upheaval shaking the Australian automotive scene, where all three major car makers have announced they will soon shut their plants.
Penske senses the closures, coupled with the Australian consumers’ fondness for more efficient smaller-engined vehicles, could impact on the V8 Supercars series, which is based on 5.0-litre V8 powerplants.
Penske believes that with the influence of Holden and Ford waning, and with Volvo also keen to market four-cylinder turbos, there may be opportunities he can capitalise on. Much depends on whether V8 Supercars can adjust for the unthinkable – a future without V8s.
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorspo...#ixzz2y7XzJQES